Honeycomb Candy Recipe

by Pamela
(Lewis Center, Ohio)

I'm posting this simple Honeycomb Candy Recipe in response to the following question submitted by Pamela from Lewis Center, Ohio...

I am looking for a taffy recipe like the type I found at a small restaurant in Newark, Ohio, years ago.


This particular taffy was hard! It was chiseled with a small hammer. It was taupe colored with a center full of holes and striations on the exterior.


The candy had a wonderful malty flavor and needed to be eaten within a few days or it got soft. It was never wrapped.


The candy was only made in the winter months because it was very dependent upon the amount of humidity to keep it hard.


At the end of the chew of this marvelous confection is tasted kind of gritty, much like it had soda in the recipe.


The name of the restaurant was Sparta. The owners I knew were named Brux. I am not sure the ethnicity of the owners or if it is relevant, but I have tried looking up German taffy, Scottish hard taffy..etc.


I have been looking for over a year for anything that resembles this confection. Can you help?


Oh yea I found this yummy stuff when I was a child, over 45 years ago. I can still taste this in my dreams!!


Thanks for any info you can give.

Pamela

I've been thinking about your question, Pamela, and the closest candy I can think of to what you are describing is Honeycomb Candy. There are a couple of other names for this candy, Sponge Candy and Angel Food Candy with slight variations, but the end result is much the same.


Making homemade honeycomb candy is not really that hard. There are only a few ingredients, but you need to work quickly at the end to get the best results.

Honeycomb Candy Recipe

• 1 cup of white sugar
  
• 1/2 cup of honey
  
• 1 tablespoon of butter
  
• 3 tablespoons of baking soda

1. Prepare a baking dish or tray by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray or brushing it with oil.
   
   
2. In a heavy saucepan heat together the sugar, honey and butter, stirring until dissolved.
   
   
3. Continue to heat the candy mixture until it reaches 310 degrees F. or about 155 degrees C.
   
   
4. Remove from heat and very quickly stir in the
   baking soda (be prepared for the mixture to rise!)
   
   
5. Pour the candy into your oiled dish, but don't spread it or you'll break the bubbles. Let it stand until it is set and then you can break it up into manageable pieces. (Yes, you can use a little little "hammer and chisel" if desired!) :)

Well, what do you think Pamela? Does this honeycomb candy recipe sound like the candy you were remembering from years gone by?


It's well worth trying, regardless! It's very addictive.


Blessings,
Angie